1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a training device for a swimmer and more particularly to a variable resistance device which does not interfere with a swimmer's stroke while allowing the swimmer to select the effective resistance of the variable resistance device to the swimmer and which a swimmer may use with or without a kickboard during his training for his events such as the freestyle, the butterfly stroke, the breast stroke and the back stroke.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In training competitive swimmers, it has been recognized that the development of the swimming muscles ranks in importance with the swimmer's technique and his endurance. One method of development that has been advocated is weight lifting but this is not completely satisfactory because the muscular development does not really correspond to that required for swimming. At the present time many coaches believe that a more appropriate way to develop swimming muscles is to increase the weight that the swimmer must carry and/or the resistance to his movement through the water while actually swimming laps during training. This strengthens the swimmer's endurance and his swimming muscles and thereby improving his competitive ability.
Swimmers have added weight and increased drag during practice sessions by wearing several T-shirts and either shorts or cut-off jeans over their regular suits. These extra garments must be carried to practice and extra wet garments must be carried back home. Increasing weight and drag by wearing additional garment also distributes the weight and drag unevenly on the swimmer which can increase the tendency for his body to roll or dip.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,485, entitled Swimmer Training Device, issued to Allen I. Jacobsen on July 28, 1964, teaches a swimmer training device which increases the resistance of a swimmer's body to his movement through water. The swimmer training device includes a flat resistance member, a support member which supports the flat resistance member and an attaching mechanism. The support member supports the flat resistance member. The attaching mechanism secures the support member to the swimmer's torso.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,930, entitled Variable Resistance Swimmer Training Device, issued to Allen I. Jacobsen on June 30, 1970, teaches a variable resistance swimmer training device which can be adjustably mounted on the body of a competitive swimmer and which provide predetermined resistances of varying degrees to the forward movement of the swimmer causing the swimmer to exert greater effort. The resistance is caused by members of varying shape and curvature mounted removably on the variable resistance swimmer training device and extending from the body at various degrees of angularity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,870, entitled Resistance Member Attached to a Swimmer, issued to Edward A. Garst on June 15, 1971, teaches a swimmer's training device which includes an elongated pocket assembly having sidewalls hingedly connected together in a side-by-side relation and foldable end walls extended between and interconnected with the sidewalls. The end walls are of a size to permit movement of the sidewalls to a spread apart position to form an angle of substantially 90.degree.. With the pockets extended transversely of the longitudinal axis of the body of the swimmer, one of the sidewalls is secured flat against the forward side of the swimmer's torso so that the pocket will open in the direction swimming movement. Thus, during swimming the pocket is opened by the action of the water against the second sidewall which function as a resistance member to impede the passage of the swimmer through the water. The resistance member is of a hinged construction to provide an outer foldable section that is foldable against the inner section of the resistance member to vary the resistance offered by the resistance against the swimmer's movement through the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,236, entitled Swimmer Drag Suit, issued to George Oprean on Jan. 31, 1978, a drag suit which includes a suit and a plurality of pockets on the front and back of the suit and which is to be worn over the regular suit of a swimmer. The drag suit adds weight and increases the resistance to the swimmer's movement through the water and thus helps in the development of swimming muscles. The increased drag is caused by the pockets which open in the direction of the swimmer's movement through the water. Water entering the pockets is impeded in flowing through them whereby drag is created. The pockets are located on the suit in such a manner that the drag is distributed evenly on the swimmer with no imbalance tending to cause the swimmer to roll or dip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,007, entitled Swimmer's Drag Producing Belt, issued to George Oprean and James E. Counsilman on Nov. 24, 1981, teaches a drag producing belt which is to be worn over the regular suit of a swimmer. The drag producing belt adds weight and increases the resistance to the swimmer's movement through the water and thus helps in the development of swimming muscles. The increased drag is caused by normally open ended pockets which are secured to the belt in such a manner that they act as a scoop as the swimmer moves through the water. Water entering the pockets is impeded in flowing through them whereby drag is created. The pockets are located on the belt suit in such a manner that the drag is distributed evenly on the swimmer with no imbalance tending to cause the swimmer to roll or dip.